The next update on this, hopefully in a week or so, will have all the open game content rules pasted in, and then the equipment list has to be completed, and then we begin the process of playing the tweaks to see what really is a good idea and what breaks down in play, and in general nailing the game down while I'm off writing the Referee book and all the adventure material.

6 comments:

Quick 1st thoughts on perusing some of the spells of interest to me. Might have more comments/questions after reading them all.

Anywhere where I sound nit-picky or smart-assed is unintentional, I just come off that way sometimes.

Glad there's no wish spell.

Realize it would be un-old school to be too specific, but for my curiosity, did you intend Jalo’s AA to be able to re-create a specific person?

As written, a really fat 1st level MU can't use feather fall to save herself. As a former fat man I think of these things. But I love the idea of using it as an ersatz protection from normal missiles.

Detect Magic: some versions of DM specifically say the detected magic will glow, implying that the spell works in the dark. Your description (where you point out that hidden items can’t be detected) could be read to imply that the spell is useless underground without a light source/infravision/&c.

You're much more specific with fireball than with most of the other spells.

Thank every god that shits that you didn't use Mentzer's version of magic missile (the glowing arrow that follows the MU around thing). Interesting that you went w/ increasing dmg done by a missile rather than # of missiles. Don't disagree, but curious as to your thinking.

Thank them again that you didn't nerf sleep, such as by giving it a save.

I mentioned in the comment for Jalo's spell that I understand why spell descriptions shouldn't be too specific, but I also understand why you were with fireball. So, re my all-time favorite spell, polymorph other: if you polymorph a monster into a literal fish out of water, will it suffocate with no further PC action required? ("Assumes all physical characteristics" seems to imply so.) What happens if you polymorph a monster into a small creature (a goldfish, say) & swallow it? Digestion, therefore death? Passes through unharmed? Stays there & if somebody dispels the magic it regrows & kills the host? Point is, polyother is one of those easily abused spells. If you do want to have the occasional spell description that goes into too much detail so as to prevent abuse (a la fireball), you may want to do it with this one.

3 things unclear w/ Dispel Magic: 1. "any spell-casting class" Does this mean that spells cast by, e.g., a dragon or demon are unaffected by dispel magic? 2. "scrolls are permanently nullified." Does this mean only that they can't be read out loud to cast whatever spell is on them, but can still be copied into a spellbook, or does the writing go away too? 3. "negates magical cures or diseases for only 2d6 turns." 1st level fighting woman has 5 hit points. She takes 3, the cleric cures her for 2, bringing her to 4. Next round she takes 3 more dmg, bringing her down to 1. Round after that, some smart-ass MU dispels the cure, temporarily taking her to -1. Is she alive, dead, undead, temporarily dead, mostly dead, grateful dead, or what?

Re first line of the description of detect evil: if I could reach you, I would kiss you. Metaphorically speaking, of course. Actually, the whole description is really well done.

Silence 15' radius: I seem to recall a controversy as to whether the original intent was a means of being sneaky, or a way for clerics to neutralize MUs. Unless you covered it outside the spell descriptions (e.g., a rule stating whether MUs must be able to speak audibly to cast spells) & I missed it, your description doesn't clear this up. Of course, you might want it that way.

Can we once & for all change continual light to continuous light? It's not a bloody strobe.

I could not disagree more. Spell descriptions are one of the few things that will be constantly referred to in play. Organizing them alphabetically makes for MUCH faster reference than having to first find the level, then the spell (especially in the case of scrolls that may not have the level written next to the spell on the character sheet or DM's notes). I see no reason to divide them by level, and good reasons to do them alphabetically.

Another thought - I personally like Polymorph Other to be left vague. It leaves it up to the individual DM and group to come up with an explanation that works for them. My single biggest gripe with D&D 3.5 was when I realized that Polymorph Other had been so nerfed that I couldn't even have a wizard turn someone into a mouse anymore.

Oops, I obviously can't follow directions. The original post specifically said to put comments on the boards, not here. Sorry. It's no excuse, but first I read the OP, then half a day later I got around to reading the spell descriptions, and by then I'd forgotten the correct procedure. I'm either going to copy-and-paste my earlier comments over there or stick my head between my legs in shame, I'm not yet sure which.

@Carl: I agree w/ you about keeping polyother vague. Was just pointing out that if JER doesn't agree w/us about that, then that spell needs more work.